G.Fast and switching providers

Hi,

I've noticed if I wish to switch providers I'm no longer offered G.Fast and can only get standard VDSL.

I'm currently on G.Fast 330Mbps and this option is no longer showing on the checkers, but the lower 150Mbps service is, but this is never shown if wish to change even though it's marked as available.

Current Checker Info

Could it just mean they are at capacity and no longer taking orders (no FTTP due in our area until at least 2025/26) or is it something else

thanks

What do you mean by "the checkers" - which specific ISPs have you tried?

It's odd that the BT Wholesale checker shows "observed" speeds of the full 330/50, but predicted speeds much lower (down to 75M for an impacted line). Somehow your actual connection is very different to OR's record of your line length.

I suspect the ISPs you've tried, assuming they still sell G.Fast at all, are declining to offer it to you because the *predicted* speed is so low. It might also be that they've set up their systems to accept new G.Fast orders, but not G.Fast migrations.

I think capacity is unlikely to be a problem - G.Fast was never very popular. However you can check this by searching for your property in the BTW checker by address rather than phone number, and see if it still says "Available" in the right-hand column for G.Fast.

The other question is why you want to switch provider. If it's because of poor customer service, you may be able to find one of the smaller ISPs who still offer G.Fast, talk to a human being, explain that your current observed speeds are the full 330/50 and get them to put an order through manually.

But if your objective is to switch to one of the cheaper providers to save money, you might be out of luck. Their ordering systems are likely configured reject G.Fast orders with low predicted speeds, and if system says no, that's the end of the story.

It was an observation when looking to see if any changes in our cab. So checked a few isp's including my current isp and noticed that the G.Fast options of 150/330Mbps are no longer available to order and only VDSL is. But the BT checker shows 150Mbps is available and not 330Mbps and if I go to the openreach website it shows 330Mbps G.Fast as being available.

In reply to a post by mirdragon:

if I go to the openreach website it shows 330Mbps G.Fast as being available.

The Openreach website doesn't tell you what individual speed tiers are available to a specific property.
It's simply telling you G.Fast is available and that G.Fast supports up to 330Mb/s.

The reason why you are only being offered the slower package has already been answered above.
It's because the BTWholesale checker has estimates for your line that are much lower than what you actually achieve.

If you wanted to switch to another ISP on the 330Mb/s package then you will need to have your line estimates corrected as they are preventing the top package being ordered.
Really you are supposed to liaise through your ISP to have this corrected but you would probably get further by asking a brick wall to fix it.

Emailing the Openreach CEO team is often the only way to get niche problems like this fixed.